The Fresh Connection as an experiential learning tool in industrial engineering education: a case study

Abstract

Industrial engineering curricula are traditionally based on a foundation of science and mathematics. Given the nature of these disciplines, industrial engineering students often lack the opportunity to engage with content practically. Experiential learning (EL) is an educational process in which students learn through doing, and incorporating this into engineering education has proven to improve learning outcomes and experiences. The Fresh Connection (TFC) is a commercially available supply chain management business game that can be used to incorporate EL into the industrial engineering curriculum. This research is a case study of using TFC as an EL tool in the supply chain management module of an undergraduate industrial engineering programme at a South African university. Although the results show some gaps between the theoretical concepts covered in TFC and this case study's undergraduate supply chain module, it is concluded that TFC is an effective EL tool. Furthermore, the research concludes that TFC positively affects student learning outcomes and experiences.

Bedryfsingenieurskurrikulums is tradisioneel gebaseer op 'n grondslag van wetenskap en wiskunde. Gegewe die aard van hierdie dissiplines, het bedryfsingenieurstudente dikwels nie die geleentheid om prakties met inhoud om te gaan nie. Ervaringsleer (EL) is 'n opvoedkundige proses waarin studente leer deur te doen, en die insluiting daarvan in ingenieursopleiding het bewys dat dit leeruitkomste en ervarings verbeter. The Fresh Connection (TFC) is 'n kommersieel beskikbare voorsieningskettingbestuur-besigheidspeletjie wat gebruik kan word om EL in die bedryfsingenieurskurrikulum te inkorporeer. Hierdie navorsing is 'n gevallestudie van die gebruik van TFC as 'n EL-instrument in die voorsieningskettingbestuurmodule van 'n voorgraadse bedryfsingenieursprogram aan 'n Suid-Afrikaanse universiteit. Alhoewel die resultate 'n paar gapings toon tussen die teoretiese konsepte wat in TFC gedek word en hierdie gevallestudie se voorgraadse voorsieningskettingmodule, word die gevolgtrekking gemaak dat TFC 'n effektiewe EL-instrument is. Verder kom die navorsing tot die gevolgtrekking dat TFC studente se leeruitkomste en ervarings positief beïnvloed.